Determination or Deteriorating

I am in dire need of some help, inspiration, and education. I am a little beat up. Today I ran 1 km again. I’m feeling a pain in my lower right back mostly when I run. It’s very low and very sharp in one spot. It makes me sad because it feels like I’m too fat and it’s causing my body to ache. After a month of activeness and now 34 days of running plus eating healthier, I haven’t lost any weight!! Before you jump to conclusions, I am not in my ideal weight. I’m borderline obese for my height and age. If I don’t continue the work I’m doing, I know I will gain more weight, it doesn’t stop. Some days I don’t feel quite as fat as today. So, I’ve been pretty sad and bummed out over not losing any weight, still feeling jiggly, and aching all over.

I’m determined to keep my run streak going but am I ruining my body by not giving myself proper rest days? But really, what is 8 minutes of running really going to do to me in a bad way? I’m extremely conflicted because I am a very stubborn person, so naturally, I do not want to break this streak because of a little pain or sadness over not losing weight – even if I am questioning it a little bit…

What would you do if you were in my shoes? Continue running even if it is only 1 km a day or take some time off?

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4 thoughts on “Determination or Deteriorating”

If your not loosing weight you may not be creating a calorie deficit, I know I don’t! I come in hungry and eat what ever. Hence despite burning over 50000 calories since I started, I haven’t actually lost any. As for the run streak, I always have a rest day, I run 4 times a week and it’s enough for me.

Do you keep track of how much you eat? With all of your increased running you may be eating at a level that is appropriate if you want to maintain your weight at your activity level but not appropriate for weight loss – possible to do even while eating healthy! Another possibility is that for the first few weeks of a change or increase in exercise I hold on to water weight and may even gain weight – this could be happening to you.

I think what is important with rest days is listening to your body. Some people need none. Some people need a lot. I’d say that if you are in pain you need some. You might not necessarily need a break from running. Why not try giving yourself 1-2 rest days a week instead of taking a break from exercising overall? Perhaps even try replacing one day of running with only strength training and/or stretching so that you are still active and are not only avoiding injury from running too much but also preventing potential injuries by becoming stronger and more flexible.

A 34 day running streak is great, but if you are in pain and losing motivation it is time for a change! You do not have to have big running streaks to be a “real” runner. I personally have never had a long running streak, and sometimes run as little as 3 days a week (at most 5!). Sometimes I even take a week or two off and do something else so I don’t tire of it. I am still a real runner, and you would be, too 🙂

I did not keep track of everything I ate but I mentally noted the calories each time. I used my fitness pal for a long time so I know roughly how much everything is that I am eating. I have limited myself to 1200 calories (and today I am starting again on the app). Maybe you’re right, because I wasn’t actually tracking it in an app or writing it down, I wasn’t creating enough of gap to create weight loss.